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Q: Why are paranormal investigations conducted in the dark?

A:At OMPI not all investigations are done in dark conditions, we let the claims of activity dictate the conditions of the investigations.

That being said, there are several reasons paranormal investigations are conducted in dark or near dark conditions. In the nighttime hours it is much quieter, this allows us to minimize contamination of our audio recordings to gather possible EVP’s. (Electronic Voice Phenomena) At OMPI we will also place wireless audio recorders outside of the location so during analysis we can compare recordings and rule out the possibility of outside noises such as traffic, or people who may be passing by.

Also we use I/R (Infrared) sensitive video equipment to capture apparitions. The I/R cameras will highlight anything giving off light, even a minute amount of light, therefore if spirits are energy then they should give off some light and our cameras should see it.

Another reason for conducting investigations in the dark is, with the lights and power shut off it makes it much easier to identify EMF (Electromagnetic Field) spikes with our meters.

If you go to our information page you will find a description of EMF and how it works.

I hope this answers your question.

Q: Does electrical current cause paranoia and nausea?

A:Studies have shown that people who are sensitive to Electromagnetic Fields can experience nausea, paranoia, skin irritations, headache, and the feeling of someone or something is in the room with you. Normally these symptoms are experienced in areas where there is a very high electromagnetic field.

Q: What does it mean to see smoke swirl in your peripheral

vision?

A:Lets first address your peripheral vision. Seeing something in your peripheral vision does not necessarily mean you see paranormal activity. Your peripheral vision is used to detect motion, not for identification purposes. A flash or movement in the corner of your eye could mean you saw something as simple as a bug fly past your head; this is where “matrixing comes into play. Matrixing is your brains ability to recognize patterns, in this case your brain doesn’t quite know what it saw so it will search out patterns stored in your memory and come up with the one that most closely resembles what was seen. Then your imagination kicks in and uses that pattern to form a scenario, unfortunately the scenario is the scariest one it can come up with, especially if you are home alone at the time.

Now seeing smoke swirls could indicate a shadow type of entity, the shadow entity is a very controversial one. Some believe they are demonic; OMPI does not buy in to this theory as the shadow entity possesses none of the characteristics of a demonic type of presence. The “Demonic entity” is accompanied by feelings of foreboding, terror, a very powerful feeling of a non-human presence. It has also been described as having a very foul stench, likened to the smell of burning sulfur or rotting flesh. Very loud growl type sounds that seem to be coming from throughout the location have been reported in this type of haunting.

Also the demonic entity will make itself known in no uncertain terms, it is not shy but will hide when strangers are present. This is not to say it will not attempt to frighten strangers away by showing itself and its powers if provoked.

This dark entity can take on any appearance it wishes accept human, when it attempts a human appearance it is less than perfect, it will often be very distorted and will have animal characteristics in its appearance.

The “Shadow entity” is accompanied by absolutely no feelings of a presence other than that of having a male aura about it. It seems to be very shy, or it prefers to observe its chosen comfort zone by stealth. Noises or sounds of any kind have never been heard.

The shadow entity normally appears in a person’s peripheral vision but has been seen straight on. It is not a shadow as one would think of; it has a two or sometimes three dimensional appearance. It moves very quickly from area to area sometimes appearing as smoke or flash of light in the corner of the eye. Often it will appear to have mass and can block out light.

There have been no reports of physical contact with the living, or of this type of entity injuring people or animals.

Q: What is an emf fear cage?

A:The “Fear Cage” is created when there is an abnormally high EMF field in a room or section of a house or building.

This is usually where a lot of the wiring intersects either coming from or going to a power control panel or fuse box, more common in older structures where there is unshielded ground or poor grounding and in some cases copper pipes creating quite literally a cage of electrical current. This causes a very high EMF field concentrated in an area where suspected paranormal activities have been reported.

The effects of a fear cage can be, but are not limited to, Paranoia, hallucinations, headache, skin irritations, nausea, and the feeling you are being watched. These feelings are more intense to someone who is hypersensitive to the EMF.

Q: What is the fun house effect?

A:The “Fun House Effect” is a phenomenon that occurs due to an uneven floor, stairs, or an oddly shaped room.

When the lights are turned off and the room is dark, that’s when these factors cause dizziness, and disorientation, other symptoms include paranoia, nausea and a general uneasy feeling.

This has often been confused with paranormal activity to someone who is not aware of the imperfections of the area. During an investigation it is very important to take any and all possibilities into account, and the “Fun House Effect” is no exception. As a paranormal investigator you must always be aware of your surroundings, not only for safety reasons but purposes of giving an accurate report to the client.

The client may be aware of the imperfections of his of her home but unaware of the effects on the mind when negotiating the house in near or total dark conditions.

This is not to say that this phenomenon only affects a person at night it is just more common, the effects can be just as disorientating in the light.

Q: Why does poltergeist activity happen?

A:OK, that’s a tuffy. Nobody really knows why this type of activity occurs or what causes it for sure. About the only way to answer this question is to explain the theory of the poltergeist.

The Poltergeist or “noisy ghost” entity is a controversial one, some in the paranormal field refer to them as ghosts, others refer to them as PK (psychokinesis) meaning a human agent is causing the disturbances, the poltergeist entity does usually center around one person and in most cases the activity will cease when that person is absent, and still others have referred to them as demons.

Most of the claims of this type of activity are very similar, at first the activity is very minor starting out as tapping or knocking, objects disappearing for days just to reappear back where they were left or in some obscure location, then the activity increases to something like doors and windows opening and slamming shut, objects moving or flying through the air as if thrown by some unseen force, and furniture being moved.

At some point the poltergeist becomes violent and can injure both people and or animals.

Another thing you should watch for is your pet suddenly running out of the room as if it were being attacked.

The poltergeist activity seems to increase over a period of time then the activity will drop off for a while, in some cases the activity will start all over again increasing in severity over time, and in other cases the activity seems to stop and never return.

Nobody seems to know what the poltergeist is, but they do all seem to agree it can be very dangerous. Someday we hope to know why this activity occurs and what causes it.

Q: What is the meaning of colored spirit orbs?

A: Let me start out by saying that OMPI does not consider orbs as anything paranormal, there are just to many variables that would explain them. That being said let me try to explain the theory.

The “Orb” is a photographic phenomenon that appears to be a free floating ball of light or energy sphere that some in the paranormal field consider to be photographic evidence of spirits or souls caught on camera and the “orb” is the energy produced by the spirit.

Some in the field suggest the different colors define the spirit’s mood and others believe the colors define the spirits specific reason for lingering. Since there is no evidence that the orb is anything more than dust, humidity, or bugs it is impossible to consider the orb as paranormal.

Q: How do you identify a demonic entity?

A: The demonic entity is a tricky one; the best way to identify the demonic type of entity is to look for imperfections in its appearance.

The "Demonic Entity" can take on almost any form it wants but it can not do this perfectly. Remember the demonic entity has never walked this earth in a corporeal body. Look for imperfections; typically it will have animal characteristics about the form, i.e. claws, a tail, large teeth, possibly hooves in place of feet, etc. Any form the demonic entity takes will not be a perfect replication, so look for these imperfections.

See the “Demonic Entity” on our Types of Hauntings Page for more information.

Q: What is the difference between cold and warm spots in regards to a spirit manifesting?

A: There really isn’t any difference as it pertains to paranormal activity, the area where the spirit or entity manifested or attempted to manifest will typically experience a temperature change of about 10 to 20 degrees. The theory is, this is where the spirit collected energy in an attempt to manifest leaving the cold or sometimes warm spot.

Usually the area is cold, the warm spot while it does occur is not as common but we have found there to be no difference in the activity.

Q: Do moods effect the paranormal?

A: In my opinion I would say yes our moods do effect hauntings.

Spirits seem to be effected by energy produced by people’s moods or the moods that are induced by certain locations. In most cases depressed or negative moods entice a spirit who is present to attach themselves to this type of personality. I don’t believe however that our moods will attract a spirit to travel too your location unless it attaches itself to you when you are visiting a haunted location.

Q: Can djinn appear as a black cloud funnel?

A: Yes indeed. The Djinn (or non-human entity) can appear in any form it deems necessary to achieve its goal, with the limitation on appearing as a human. The demonic entity can appear as human with imperfections as it has never been human. You should watch for these imperfections (see signs of a demonic presence) on our "Signs of Haunting" page. For more information on the demonic entity see our "Types of Haunting” page.

Q: "Does the Earth's magnetic fields ever spike or fluctuate?"

A: Yes absolutely the field does fluctuate; Seismic activity is known to produce fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field. The field fluctuations occur naturally when rocks shift below the earth’s surface. The sun also has effects on the earth’s EMF that will cause spikes and fluctuations.

Q: How common is it to have ghost activity during the day?

A: It is very common in hauntings that paranormal activity occurs during the daytime hours. During the day time, paranormal activity is occurring but it is usually not noticeable due to the normal activity in and around the location, like people moving around, cars passing, kids playing, televisions or stereos on. So the paranormal events often go un-noticed because of these distractions. However at night when everything is quiet you will notice them more. I hope this answers your question.

A: In answer to your question “Are ghosts more strict than people”? In theory ghosts were once people just like you and me, and when we pass on we take with us who we are. So if they were of a caring personality when they were alive, then they would be caring when they become ghosts. So what that means is, if the person was strict when they were alive, they would probably be strict as a ghost. I hope this answers your question. If you have more questions or concerns please don’t hesitate ask us.